Taking over the now defunct Gentle Roast Cafe at Upper Thomson is Hello Arigato, a Japanese-inspired cafe that serves Sandos and lava-centered cruffins.
New Japanese-Inspired Cafe at Upper Thomson
A stone’s throw away from the newly opened Upper Thomson MRT is Hello Arigato, which joins cafes like Woodlands Sourdough, Columbus, and One Man Coffee at the OG cafe town.
You’ll be greeted by the huge glass window and door entrance which allow lots of natural sunlight into the cafe.
The cafe features classic Japanese minimalist style decor, and resembles more of a living space than a commercial setting. This coupled with the random assortment of items that resemble the ornaments that one would accumulate in their home over time, gives this cafe a quirky personality that we fell in love with!
Inside, there are shelves filled with items from lifestyle brands such as Byredo, Kinfolk, Loewe, and Mr. Porter. It looks almost like something you would find in a Kinfolk magazine.
You can also find bottles of NON on display, which are non-alcoholic wines, a brand by ex-Noma chef William Wade.
Our favourite corner is where the forest green sofa sits, right below the barista counter. Alfresco seating is also available.
Here, you scan the QR code for the menu and the staff will help to take your order.
Hello Arigato Cafe Menu
The cafe aims to serve Japanese-inspired comfort food with honest hospitality. Here, you can find items from appetizers that are great for sharing, to mains like Donburis and different pasta dishes.
Some interesting menu items are the Tom Yum Somen ($18), Otah Sando ($20), and Hello Kombu Tater Tots ($13).
Gyu Sando
What caught our eye was the Gyu Sando ($26), which featured thick slabs of beef sandwiched between slices of Japanese Milk Bread.
They used Angus Beef Striploin for the Gyu Sando. Also, they don’t ask how well you want your beef to be for the Gyu Sando.
Visually, the dish looked simple and pleasing. We were slightly apprehensive since we’ve had bad experiences trying to cut through a steak. But for a sando, you just bite through the layers without any help from utensils.
We were recommended to eat the Gyu Sando within 5 minutes after it’s been served. Make sure to take your photos quickly!
The first bite was amazing, and we were in love with the textures – the crispiness of the milk bread and the tenderness of the beef. Don’t need to worry about the beef being tough as it was so easy to bite through. The caramelized sweet onion jam added amazing flavours to the sando.
Matcha Ganache Cruffin
The Matcha Ganache Cruffin ($7) is a great dessert to share with your friends. Crispy on the outside with a lovely matcha lava core. It’s not too sweet, but we would have loved it to have a more bitter aftertaste.
Flat White
Interestingly, the coffee menu isn’t that diverse, with only Black or White Coffee to choose from. You can’t find items like Mocha or Caramel Macchiato here.
The Flat White ($6) we had was not bad, but not great either. We felt that the coffee was slightly watered down and could have been a bit more intense.
If you’re not a coffee drinker, you can look out for items such as the Arigato Cold Brew Tea ($5), which is Fukamushi Sencha with Chamomile and Honey.
Japanese Sandos in Singapore
Hello Arigato offers quite an interesting concept that stands out amongst other cafes in Upper Thomson. If you’re ever nearby visiting nature trails in Singapore, the place is a great pit stop for brunch after.
Also, with the opening of the Thomson East Coast MRT line, the cafe is now even more accessible to the public.
Hello Arigato
227 Upper Thomson Rd, Singapore 574359
Tues-Fri, 11am-4pm, 6pm-9pm, Sat-Sun, 10am-4pm, 6pm-9pm. (Last Order at 2pm for Lunch and 8:30pm for Dinner)
*This is an independent review by MiddleClass.sg.
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